Heart events is a system more like traditional MMO quests. You can spot them on the map, tip: speak with a scout to point them out for you. When you get to the area surrounding the heart, a bar will appear in the upper right corner of your screen with a context. It says what you need to do, for example “kill centaurs, revive guards and pick up roots”. The bar will fill itself as you do that stuff. Quite simple, maximal fun.

Heart quests are more like standard quests than dynamic events. You go to a location, do what the NPC would like you to do (don't have to talk to the NPC) and get a reward in the mail (The NPC also becomes a karma vendor to sell you items for karma, which is a currency). They were added somewhat late (using the word loosely) in development, as players felt they had little direction when just running around randomly hoping for DEs.

I just pre-purchased GW2 and I keep hearing these come up, but I have no idea what they are... help a noob out?

since you're admittedly new, and as others answer your question and you read up on it.. just want to make this balatantly clear .. crystal clear..

HEARTS ARE NOT QUESTS..

if you go to a zone and hit every single Heart and complete it.. you will be underlevelled and get to the next one and have a tough time doing "red" hearts..

Hearts are merely.. landmarks.. never ignore dynamic events that pop all around you..

Heart's are landmarks for those who need more structure and wondering where to go next/what to do why, go to a heart!

but they are NOT quests..

thinking of Hearts as static quests ignoring Dynamic Events will lead to the BWE1 mess of people whining and complaining about outpacing "quest hearts" or being underlevelled for the next area's "hearts"

hope that helps, it's a lot to process and you do have to play the game to understand it better.. just be glad you werent there with us for bwe1, even I had to quickly get out of the mindset of "HEARTS ARE QUESTS".. they are not

You can think of Hearts like little bread crumb quests that lead you into a new area. After that, throw out everything you know about linear questing cuz this ain't Kansas, Dorothy!

Dynamic Events are the real meat. They can be triggered by any number of things, a good clue is if an NPC is running up to you waving his arms and yelling for help or politely asking you if he can have a moment of your time or even chasing you as run through an area!

The DEs have ultimate success and ultimate fail states which physically change the world - not just for you, but for every player. It's not phased. As you level up into higher areas, the DEs form chains, the chains can branch and form webs - there are event chains that can spawn portals to enter mini-dungeons. It really is unique and different from everything we know.

So don't just do the Hearts, keep your eyes open and see where they lead you

You can think of Hearts like little bread crumb quests that lead you into a new area. After that, throw out everything you know about linear questing cuz this ain't Kansas, Dorothy!

Dynamic Events are the real meat. They can be triggered by any number of things, a good clue is if an NPC is running up to you waving his arms and yelling for help or politely asking you if he can have a moment of your time or even chasing you as run through an area!

The DEs have ultimate success and ultimate fail states which physically change the world - not just for you, but for every player. It's not phased. As you level up into higher areas, the DEs form chains, the chains can branch and form webs - there are event chains that can spawn portals to enter mini-dungeons. It really is unique and different from everything we know.

So don't just do the Hearts, keep your eyes open and see where they lead you

I still remember the feedback from bwe1 where we players got a first taste of Tyria's supple young nimble fl.. err

what I meant is there was SO MANY people literally crying out that the Hearts were underpacing/underlevelling/etc us in-game

and truth be told, I WAS ONE OF THEM WHO EXPERIENCED IT although I never cried/whined about it..

I had to literally re-program my mind... Hearts ARE NOT Quests..

you don't go to an area and just check off every single heart ignoring Dynamic Events/Gathering/etc...

you WILL clear them and proceed to be underlevelled for the next available heart at some point

after i re-programmed my mind I began paying attention to more dynamic events which was bursting all around me.. and gathering if something was on the way.. sometimes WvWing when I needed a change of pace and soon..

I was OVERLEVELLING Hearts

all in all, i don't think a total newbie can avoid the "Underlevelling" experience.. because we are all programmed to seek out a quest.. and immediately hearts seem like that and it seems like that's how the world of Tyria works